For entertainment and other applications, it is useful to obtain high-resolution stereo imagery of a scene so that viewers can visualize the scene in three dimensions. To obtain such high-resolution imagery, the common practice of the prior art is to use two or more high-resolution devices or cameras, displaced from each other. The first high-resolution camera captures an image or image sequence, that can be merged with other high-resolution images taken from a viewpoint different than the first high-resolution camera, creating a stereo image of the scene.
However, creating stereo imagery with multiple high-resolution cameras can be difficult and very expensive. The number of high-resolution cameras used to record a scene can contribute significantly to the cost of producing the stereo image scene. Additionally, high-resolution cameras are large and unwieldy. As such, the high-resolution cameras are not easy to move about when filming a scene. Consequently, some viewpoints may not be able to be accommodated because of the size of the high-resolution cameras, thus limiting the viewpoints available for creating the stereo image.
Similarly, in other applications given a collection of captured digital imagery, the need is to generate enhanced imagery for monocular or binocular viewing Examples of such application are resolution enhancement of video and other digital imagery, quality enhancement in terms of enhanced focus, depth of field, color and brightness/contrast enhancement, and creation of synthetic imagery from novel viewpoints based on captured digital imagery and videos.
All the above applications involve combining multiple co-temporal digital sensors (camera for example) and/or temporally separated sensors for the purpose of creation of synthetic digital imagery. The various applications can be broadly divided along the following lines (but are not limited to these):
1. Creation of an enhanced digital image by processing one or more frames of imagery from cameras and or other sensors which have captured the imagery at the same time instant. The synthesized frame represents the view of an enhanced synthetic camera located at the position of one of the real sensors. PA1 2. Creation of enhanced digital imagery by processing frames that have been captured over time and space (multiple cameras/sensors capturing video imagery over time). The synthesized frames represent enhanced synthetic cameras located at the position of one or more of the real sensors. PA1 3. Creation of enhanced digital imagery by processing frames that have been captured over time and space (multiple cameras/sensors capturing video imagery over time). The synthesized frames represent enhanced synthetic cameras that are located at positions other than those of the real sensors.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for a method and apparatus for creating a synthetic high-resolution image and/enhancing images using only one high-resolution camera.